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TALK WITH AN EXPERT

What to Do When Your Senior Leaders Aren’t Aligned

You’re responsible for delivering a cross-functional project, yet the senior leaders above you are clearly not aligned.

Few challenges are tougher: You’re responsible for delivering a cross-functional project, yet the senior leaders above you are clearly not aligned.

The swirl and unproductive conflict are palpable in every meeting. Politics overshadow performance. Deadlines slip.

Some colleagues go silent, guarding loyalty to their boss. Others push their manager’s agenda, pleading or pressuring for cooperation.

Your leadership can be the difference. Here are three actions to take:

  1. Anchor in Purpose. When senior leadership is divided, purpose is your north star. Ask your colleagues: Why does this work matter? Who does it ultimately serve? Alignment to purpose often outweighs alignment to personalities.
  2. Build Micro-Alignment. You can’t control senior leaders, but you can deepen alignment at the working level. Facilitate conversations that uncover shared interests, motivations, or objectives across functions and use these as stepping stones for progress.
  3. Model High Character. Ignoring or complaining about the misalignment above makes you complicit. Instead, acknowledge the challenge without blame and ask colleagues: What can we control? Where can we collectively focus? Transparency builds trust and resilience.

Effective cross-functional leaders don’t wait for perfect conditions. They accept (without condoning) that conflicting agendas exist—then guide colleagues toward meaningful collaboration.

Ultimately, you and your colleagues will either be victims of circumstances or be leaders. Only one choice improves the future (and your experience).

P.S. The challenge of working for leaders who are not aligned is common. That is why we’re going further on this topic.

I’m excited to announce that my colleague, the inspired Erica Emmett, will be delivering our next Activation Session on September 23. The title of this engaging program is How To Stay Aligned When Senior Leaders Aren’t.